


Step by Step

by Artemis1000



Category: Black Panther (2018), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, M/M, Marriage of Convenience, Mutual Pining, Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Political Expediency, Post-Black Panther (2018), Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-11
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-07-11 02:21:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15962624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis1000/pseuds/Artemis1000
Summary: Raised to be king, T’Challa had always known he would have to choose his spouse for more than love. A good king served his people first and himself second – if he was truly lucky, these two desires aligned but if they didn’t a good king would choose the greater good.In the wake of Wakanda revealing itself to the world and Asgard's destruction, T'Challa and Thor choose to serve the greater good.





	Step by Step

**Author's Note:**

  * For [scioscribe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/scioscribe/gifts).



> When I first read your letter I had grand aspirations for this prompt. In the end it turned out to be a little snippet of an AU but I hope it is still enjoyable :)
> 
> This story is post-BP and post-Ragnarok. Infinity War never happened.

Raised to be king, T’Challa had always known he would have to choose his spouse for more than love. A good king served his people first and himself second – if he was truly lucky, these two desires aligned but if they didn’t a good king would choose the greater good.

His parents had been lucky.

T’Challa had chosen the greater good.

He watched the Asgardian stand by the large windows of his throne room, his shoulders tense as if he was ready to do battle and his gaze distant.

Thor had chosen the greater good, too.

When the Asgardian refugees arrived on earth, governments all over the world had clamored to get their hands on their scientists and their alien tech. If any of them had succeeded, the effect would have been devastating; the US government getting its hands on Chitauri tech in the wake of the failed invasion had done enough damage to the delicate balance of powers.

Ever since Wakanda outed itself to the world, the hunt for new technology had only increased to a fervent pace. Everybody was eager to catch up to Wakanda, to surpass it and restore what _they_ believed to be the proper balance of powers, and Asgardians in no position to refuse their offer would have been the perfect means to this end.

T’Challa came to a halt next to Thor and followed his gaze. As expected, there was nothing interesting to see.

“Will you be returning to your people soon?” he asked, his voice mild both out of genuine kindness and the desire to tread carefully. They had yet to learn how to do anything but tread carefully around another.

Thor turned his head, eyes clearing and focusing on T’Challa. “Yes. Shuri is nearly done preparing the next shipment. I will be returning with it. Valkyrie said my prolonged absence is causing our people to grow restless.”

T’Challa took careful note of his choice of words. Thor was brash and reckless in battle but he was never reckless with T’Challa. They were both painfully aware, and constantly reminded, how important it was that their alliance succeeded.

At first, it had been the Asgardians who needed this alliance, now the Wakandans did, too. Not wishing for the Asgardians to settle permanently in Wakanda, they had agreed to help them build a colony. It would be Wakanda’s first space colony and by now they had put too much time and effort and political clout into it to fail.

Maybe this was the secret to good political marriages: you simply couldn’t afford to fail.

T’Challa’s eyes softened. “I will miss you.”

There was a bright, kind smile on Thor’s lips, the one that had started to make T’Challa’s heart beat a little faster. Thor was a kind man, despite how harsh he looked with the eye patch and his shorn hair just starting to grow again. Shuri had been literally shrieking with glee when he arrived looking like a Viking warrior out of a Hollywood movie. W’Kabi hadn’t been half as pleased and that wasn’t even speaking of Okoye. But Thor was kind underneath the gruff visage and his strange Asgardian customs, and despite all naysaying, there had yet to be any lightning accidents.

“You could come with me,” he offered, his voice carefully measured to keep the hopefulness out of his voice. He didn’t succeed.

T’Challa smiled, too, but he shook his head. “And leave Wakanda?”

“It would be for naught but days. You have many wise councilors who could rule in your stead like Heimdall does in mine.”

T’Challa hesitated. It would be nice to finally see the colony for himself. It would be nice to spend time with Thor somewhere he didn’t have so many excuses to keep himself busy that he barely saw him at all outside of council meetings and family dinners. “I would like that. But not this time, I can’t cancel my appointments without warning.”

Thor looked disappointed but he didn’t look surprised.

T’Challa told himself he didn’t feel a twinge of disappointment himself.

His mother had warned him a marriage like his would need time and T’Challa knew she was right. Love born out of necessity grew slowly, and they were both still grieving. T’Challa for his father and cousin, Thor for his homeworld and what he believed his people’s past to have been, both of them for a future that was their own to decide.

Sometimes he just wished they could skip right to the happily ever after, it wasn’t like they hadn’t sacrificed enough to earn one.

He placed his hand on Thor’s shoulder. “What do you say the God of Thunder and the Black Panther find themselves one last adventure before we return to our desks and budget meetings?”

Thor’s brilliant smile was absolutely worth the trouble he would be in for skipping just one of these budget meetings.

T’Challa’s steps felt a little lighter when he walked side by side with Thor.

They would simply have to be patient and build their future step by step.


End file.
